Weekend Travel Kent to London Charing Cross

[extendedpaul]

I'm travelling later today from Medway to London Charing Cross, which is currently closed every weekend. Weekdays this would be a direct journey. I buy an off peak day return.

NRE tell me to travel to Cannon Street and then "transfer" to Charing Cross which I assume means by tube. Anyone know if I can travel to Victoria instead of Cannon Street and take the tube to Charing Cross from there on my rail ticket ?

Or must I buy a travelcard or use oyster for the tube if I don't go via Cannon Street ?

 

[itsjamierawr]

I just reread what you posted so gonna try that again:

If you've not purchased the ticket I think you could ask for a ticket to London U1? (Not sure on the exact name but it's valid for one tube journey to a zone 1 station). And London Terminals ticket will most likely be kept by the barriers at Victoria or Cannon Street and unless SouthEastern's website says anything about putting ticket acceptance on the underground in place I'm not sure you could do this sadly.

Anyone know if the Cannon Street - Charing Cross shuttle is running instead?

 

[extendedpaul]

From my local station the price of a return to U1 is the same as a one day travelcard and a lot more than the off peak day return to Charing Cross so that's not an option.

If Charing Cross is going to be closed every weekend and journey times extended as a result I think it could be argued that the delay to the passenger should be minimised by allowing travel by any reasonable route.

I understand that the "official" alternative is Cannon Street and then tube but from many stations in Kent it is quicker to go to Victoria and tube from there to Charing Cross which is why I thought it might be permitted.

 

[CyrusWuff]

A quick look at Southeastern's Engineering Work page shows that LU are accepting tickets between London Bridge/Cannon Street and Southwark (for Waterloo East), Waterloo and Embankment (for Charing Cross).

 

[island]

If you wish to go via Victoria you would need to pay for your Tube journey. It is not covered by Southeastern, whose approved alternatives are the Tube between Cannon Street, Blackfriars, Charing Cross, Embankment, Waterloo, Southwark, Elephant & Castle or London Bridge.

 

[extendedpaul]

This is what happened.

Travelled up to Cannon Street. Gateline was open with two staff directing Charing Cross passengers to underground and telling them to travel westbound to Embankment. Tickets operated gate and was not retained at Embankment.

On return I showed tickets to LT staff member at Embankment and asked if we had to return from Cannon street or could go via Victoria. He glanced at ticket and said yes. At Victoria the district/circle line exit was open so don't really know if he was right or not !